Warning: SPOILERS for the My Adventures with Superman episode “Pierce the Heavens, Superman!” are ahead!
My Adventures with Superman Season 2 has nearly completed its run on the 2024 TV schedule, with the penultimate episode, “Pierce the Heavens, Superman!”, having aired on Adult Swim and now available to stream with a Max subscription. Last week, “The Death of Clark Kent” showed Brainiac taking over Clark Kent’s body and trapping the protagonist’s mind inside a fantasy where he was living on Krypton. With no other option left, Lois Lane attached a Black Mercy to her head so she could go into the simulation to rescue Clark.
On one front, “Pierce the Heavens, Superman!” followed Lois dealing with this freaky, Groundhog Day-like simulation. On another front, the Superman-possessed Brainiac arrived on Earth and started wreaking havoc. In the process, he was able to screw over Lex Luthor and Task Force X, which I was delighted to see, even though it means bad news for both Superman and Kara.
Lois Lane Saved Clark Kent From Brainiac’s Control
Upon waking up in the virtual Krypton, Lois Lane encountered hostile programs modeled after Jor-El and Lara, Clark’s Kryptonian parents, meant to neutralize any threat to Brainiac’s simulation. Lois was thrown into a prison cell by the programs and they attempted to figure out why Lois was there, but even she couldn’t answer their questions because she’d lost her memory. That didn’t last long though, because upon being visited by a visiting Clark, understandably going by Kal-El in this reality, and everything came flooding back to her and she tried to get him to remember his real life.
Unfortunately, the Jor-El and Lara programs cut Lois off and attempted to delete her from the simulation. Strangely, though, the intrepid Daily Planet reporter instead ended up back where she started, much to the chagrin of the programs. This kicked off Lois’ numerous attempts to try and jog Clark’s memory, only for the programs to intercept her and reset things back to the point in her arrival. She finally succeeded once she declared her love for Clark, and while he was initially skeptical that this was the real Lois, he was convinced once he learned she pulled off the insane feat of stealing a spaceship from S.T.A.R. Labs to find him.
While the programs found them, the icing on this cake was that in this virtuality, Lois boasted the same super strength and flight as the Kryptonians in this simulation. So she was able to fight back against the hostile programs, and when Clark’s Superman costume materialized, the two flew up to shatter the barrier in the sky, thus ending the simulation and giving Clark back control of his body.
Lex Luthor’s Metallo Robots Were Hacked
As all that was happening in the virtual world, in the real world, Jimmy Olsen, Kara Zor-El and Lois Lane’s body were apprehended by Task Force X as soon as they returned to Earth. Their ship was literally shot in half mid-flight, and Mallah and Brain fled the scene in the working half through another portal on Kara’s instruction. Luckily, upon reaching the ground, Jimmy began live-streaming on Flamebird, so Perry White, Ron Troupe, Vicki Vale and other members of the press intercepted the convoy transporting them and rescued them from Amanda Waller’s forces.
That small victory was short-lived, as then Brainiac arrived on Earth to wreak havoc in Superman’s body. In addition to Kara attempting to fight her adoptive father after being encouraged by Jimmy and Ron, Task Force X also got involved in the battle. First, Amanda Waller sent Slade Wilson, Damage and Atomic Skull at Brainiac, and when they weren’t enough to get his job done, Lex Luthor sent the Metallos from Amertek into battle. This time though, as a result of the unlimited resources Waller provided for the young scientist, the robots are now powered by Kryptonite, making them more similar to the traditional version of Metallo.
Needless to say everything changed once Clark regained control of his body. Brainiac woke up in his previous body, and thoroughly pissed off, he outfitted himself and his ship with Kryptonite shielding, fired energy beams at Metropolis and, the part I take the greatest pleasure in, hacking the Metallos. Superman (now wearing a new costume) blocked the first two beams and attempted to fly up to Brainiac’s ship, but the Metallos attacked them, and with the Kryptonian heroes incapacitated, Brainiac prepared to fire a third beam.
While things certainly look dire for Earth, I can’t help but take some pleasure in Brainiac undoing the work Lex Luthor has been doing this season in just a few minutes. The Metallos were supposed to be Task Force X’s solution to getting rid of Superman, and while they’re getting ready to do just that under Brainiac’s command, they’re also going to gun down Luthor and Waller. That’s stellar irony right there, though it’s probably safe to assume neither villain will bite the dust.
My Adventures with Superman’s Season 2 finale, titled “My Adventures with Supergirl,” airs next Sunday on Adult Swim. However things shake out in that episode, fans of the series can take comfort knowing Season 3 is officially happening.
